Julia Child's Coq Au Vin is undeniably the best. This recipe sticks very much to the original, only minorly changing the ingredients and cooking method to bring it in line with the times. While Coq au Vin (or chicken in wine) might sound fancy, it is really just a simple French chicken stew that anyone can master. Don't be intimidated, this recipe is very easy to follow.
Shortly after starting this blog, I was asked to participate in a celebration of Julia Child's 100th birthday. Participating bloggers were given her most famous recipes to make and share. It was the first time I had made coq au vin.
Since then I've made it countless times. It's a simple recipe that takes a bit of time and is 100% worth it. I've made a few very minor changes to the recipe to reflect modern cooking and diets.
What makes this coq au vin special?
- Even though this coq au vin is easier to make and uses more familiar ingredients, it is every bit as rich delicious as the original.
- The chicken is first marinated in the wine (while you prep the other ingredients) which gives the chicken so much flavor.
- I use chicken thighs and drumsticks. The original Julia Child's recipe calls for cutting up your own chicken. Most of us aren't going to do that so using cuts that are familiar and widely available makes this recipe more approachable without sacrificing flavor.
- I sprinkle the cooked bacon on top after the dish is cooked as I love that it remains crunchy. Bacon that's soggy from cooking in a sauce is not my favorite.
- The original recipe calls for a tomato, but I'm assuming Julia must have meant a summer sun-ripened tomato. Our grocery store tomatoes are sad in comparison. I use some tomato paste, which has a strong tomato flavor and can be caramelized a little to add some sweetness.
- Adding carrots, which are not in the original recipe, make this more of a complete meal.
- Traditional coq au vin is thickened with butter and flour (beurre manie), but that doesn't work with many modern diets. I've given options for traditional, paleo, gluten-free, and dairy-free beurre manie so you can choose the option that works best for you. I always go for the paleo version.
What to serve with Coq au Vin?
My personal favorite is to serve this with buttery mashed potatoes and a green salad. The gravy is so good poured over potatoes and the green salad brings a little freshness to the plate. Here are some other ideas:
- Roasted root vegetables.
- Braised sturdy greens … think collard, kale, or swiss chard
- Pasta.
- Crusty buttered bread for mopping up all the gravy.
- Wild rice.
- Roasted cauliflower.
- Green beans or asparagus.
And for dessert, try Julia Child's Chocolate Mousse. It's delicious!
What wine do you use in coq au vin?
Traditionally, coq au vin is made with a Burgundy wine, like a pinot noir. I've used lighter reds like Tempranillo and Gamay Noir successfully. I think the most important thing is that you like the wine you use. The wine adds a lot of flavor to the dish so make sure it's one you enjoy drinking!
White wine can also be used to make coq au vin blanc. Steer clear of sweet white wines. A Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc works well.
If you follow a paleo diet, you're probably concerned about all the additives in mass-produced wine. One company that curates a collection of clean crafted wines is Scout and Cellar. They deliver to most of continental US and are worth checking out.
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Julia Child's Coq Vin
Prep Time: 45 mins- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: Dinner
Cuisine: French
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
Julia Child's Coq Au Vin is undeniably the best. This recipe sticks very much to the original, only minorly changing the ingredients and cooking method to bring it in line with the times. While Coq au Vin (or chicken in wine) might sound fancy, it is really just a simple French chicken stew that anyone can master. Don't be intimidated, this recipe is very easy to follow.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs
- 4 chicken drumsticks
- 1 1/2 cups red wine
- 1 cup chicken stock
- Optional: 1/4 cup brandy
- 3 strips of bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 medium onion, quartered then thinly sliced
- 4 medium carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 8 ounces mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 8 ounces pearl onions, peeled
- Beurre manie (see notes for the options)
Instructions
- Place the chicken thighs and drumsticks in a medium-sized bowl and pour the wine, chicken stock, and (if using) the brandy over the top. Prep the vegetables.
- Add the bacon to a large skillet or braiser over medium-high heat. Cook until the bacon is crispy, about 8 minutes, then remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon.
- Remove the chicken from the wine marinade (save the wine) and dry the chicken with paper towels. Working in 2 batches if needed, place the chicken in the pan, skin side down. Sear until it is golden on both sides (about 5 minutes each side) then remove the chicken from the pan. Pour all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon/chicken oil into a heatproof dish and set it aside.
- Add the sliced onion and carrots to the pan and let them cook until the onion is golden brown, about 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and let it cook for 1 minute.
- Push the vegetables to the side of the pan and add the tomato paste. Cook the tomato paste until it is fragrant and begins to darken. Pour the reserved wine marinade into the pan, scraping the bottom to remove any stuck on bits.
- Nestle the chicken into the pan and sprinkle the thyme over top. Cover the pot, turn the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Pour 1 tablespoon of the reserved oil (or use olive oil) into a large skillet. Add the mushrooms and saute over medium-high heat until brown, about 10 minutes.
- Add the pearl onions to the pot with the chicken and cook for 10 minutes more.
- In a small bowl mix together your choice of beurre manie. Remove the chicken from the pan then add the beurre manie. Stir it into the sauce and let it thicken. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Add the chicken back into the pan and top with the cooked bacon and mushrooms. Sprinkle with a little fresh thyme.
Notes
Beurre manie options:
- Traditional beurre manie: 2 tablespoons flour + 2 tablespoons softened butter
- Paleo and gluten-free beurre manie: 2 tablespoons tapioca starch + 1 tablespoon softened butter
- Dairy-free beurre manie: 2 tablespoons flour + 2 tablespoons dairy-free margarine
Excerpted from The Way to Cook by Julia Child. Copyright © 1989 by Julia Child. Reprinted with permission from the publisher Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc.
Kristen Stevens
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Hi, I’m Kristen! 
Ed Morgan says
March 4, 2019 at 4:34 pmI have made several, The Endless Meal, recipes. Coq au Vin is now my, “The Best Chicken I Ever Cooked”, recipe!
With childhood memories of watching Julia Child, I enjoyed some of the wine as I cooked (I think it’s obligatory so, not a bit guilty).
The “what to serve with” suggestions are a welcome tip as too often, I focus on just making the recipe and forget I should be making some sides.
Kristen, thanks for all the hard work, great instructions, pictures and tasty food. As always, I look forward to the next, The Endless Meal, recipe arriving in my in box.
★★★★★
Kristen Stevens says
March 5, 2019 at 11:10 amThat makes me so happy to hear! You are very welcome for the recipes. I really love that you’re enjoying them!
pj courchaine says
March 17, 2019 at 5:35 amHave made this recipe for years, love it. I add petite potatoes to the pot to make it a one pot meal.
Kristen Stevens says
March 22, 2019 at 5:12 pmSuch a great idea to add potatoes in the pot!
Linger says
March 1, 2019 at 3:26 pmKristen, your photos are so fantastic and appealing. I love getting inspiration from them. Also, this recipe sounds fabulous. I have never made Coq au Vin, but after reading your post, have decided I need to try it. I love fancy dishes that are actually easy to make. Thanks for the post!
★★★★★
Kristen Stevens says
March 3, 2019 at 8:02 amThank you so much! I know you’ll love it as much as I do. It’s a family favorite!
Andrea says
January 15, 2018 at 4:06 pmMaking this right now, using just a chopped white onion, Shallots I will try next time because that sounds awesome. Do not move the chicken around. You want it to get brown and let a good FOM on the pan. The meat will release from the pan when this happens. This works with all meats if you heat your pan patiently and thoroughly and add oil after it’s hot. In this case, you’ve already heated the pan completely and cooked the lardons in it. Keep the heat moderate so the bacon fom is not burning and add the chicken. Brown with the same patience. When ready to turn they will come off the pan easily.
★★★★★
Mob says
January 31, 2015 at 1:51 pmgreat recipes
Kristen Stevens says
August 7, 2017 at 3:04 pmThanks, Mob!
Daniel says
March 28, 2014 at 10:30 pmFor a truly glorious Coq au Vin use a mature rooster, say one around a year old. Instead of simmering it in the wine for 30 minutes, simmer it for 3 hours. You will get a hearty, beef-like Coq au Vin that is out of this world.
http://everychickdeservesamother.com/2014/03/26/coq-au-vin/
★★★★★
Kristen says
March 30, 2014 at 2:33 pmHey Daniel,
I’ve never tried rooster before but now I really want to. I’m not even sure where to buy rooster from but I’m going to keep my eye open for one!
Amara says
April 26, 2013 at 8:27 pmWe made this for dinner tonight. Easy and really delicious. We plan on making it again soon. Thanks!
JMK says
January 2, 2013 at 9:49 amYum! I’ll give it a try this weekend. What do you think about using white wine instead of red?
CSL says
August 18, 2012 at 9:20 pmThis looks delicious! I love cooking, but for some reason I always stay away from recipes with a lot of ingredients and so many steps. I too find it very hard to follow recipes, but I guess I can listen to Julia Child, and start now.
Love everything about your dish, though! the carrots, the super roasted chicken skin and specially those cherry tomatoes on the vine at the bac of the plate!
Kristen says
August 19, 2012 at 1:11 pmI definitely recommend making the coq au vin, despite the long list of ingredients. Once you’ve done it once you’ll find it pretty easy!
Doug says
May 27, 2012 at 5:01 pmIve actually let the chicken sit in red wine for a day before doing similar steps you’ve listed. More red wine flavor that way.
Kristen says
May 28, 2012 at 1:00 pmHey Doug,
I was also letting it marinate for 24 hours when it was on the menu at the supper club last month. To be honest though I didn’t notice any less flavour the way I made it this time around. 🙂
Sara says
May 24, 2012 at 10:08 amThis looks delicious. I’m tempted to join the challenge myself but…I’ll just have to follow what everyone makes. Great pictures!
Kristen says
May 24, 2012 at 10:43 amHey Sara,
You should challenge yourself to make her meals! I’ll be honest, it’s actually not much of a challenge. The two that I’ve made so far have been really easy; they just sound complicated and fancy 🙂
Laura @ An Uneducated Palate says
May 23, 2012 at 6:13 pmLooks delicious and your choice to include carrots adds a very nice pop of colour! Beautifully photographed as always 🙂